Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-07-08
People from Far and Near Gather at
Waco to Hear the Proposed
Amendment Discussed.
DR.. B. H. Carroll and Hon. Roger Q.
Mills the Speakers Of the Day.
1000 People Present,
White and Blue Badges about Equally
Divided Among tho Men-General
Good Feeling Prevalent,
BIG Day At Waco.

tricts. All the railroads ran special
trains; the Cotton Belt running three
specials, two from Corsicana and one
from GstesvilIe. BY 10 O'Clock the
streets were crowded with people, and
white and blue badges were plentiful, the
wearers being about equally divided.
The people were here to hear the Joint
debate on the prohibition amendment,
Congressman Roger Q. Mills opposing
and DR.. B. II. Carroll favoring the meas
ure. 1t had been extensively advertised
for several weeks that Colonel Mills
would speak, but the lat1 day at which
it was arranged he should divide time
with DR.. Carroll did not afford the pro-
hibitiOnlsts an opportunity to circulate
as widely GS they desired, the fact that
DR.. Carroll would speak. But, late Gs
the announcement was, 1t brought the
white ribbon wearers from fer and near
COLONEL MILLS AND PARTY ARRIVED
from Corsicaua ST 10 o'clock, occupying
ten Cotton Belt coaches, the cars and
engine being profusely decorated with
bunting, flags, streamers and notices.
This delegation numbered fully 1000
persons, many of them ladies. The ex-
Cursionists disembarked 81 the depot and
the ladies were driven to hotels. The
males then formed in procession, headed
by the CorsiCana brass band,
and marched up to Austin street
and thence to the plaza and out
Austin again to PBdgitt's park ~ the
head of the column was an immense ban
ner, bearing q splendid portrait of
Colonel Mills. The Congressman himself
was taken in charge of by the True Blue
committee. Perhaps 1900 men marched
in the Mills procession, and nearly one
third of them we're C0lored men. Every
one wore the blue badge of the ants, and
as they went along local True Blues
Cheered and waved hats and hsndker-
chiefs.
THE WHITE RIBBONS
had their time next. At 1880 O'Clock
another Cotton Belt train pulled up to the
depot. 1t was composed of seven coaches,
and engine and cars were gsily and beau
tifully deCked with the prohibition colors,
the pure white predominsting, with flags,
notices and streamers. This was the
prohibition delegation from Navarro
county, Congressman Mills home. 1t
comprised fully 600 people, q large pro-
portion ladies', and WAS in charge Of
County Chairman Damon Of COrsicana.
1t was disembarked and formed on Fourth
street, where the ProhibitiOnists met
them. Then the
TWO, PROFESSIONS
marched through Austin and other streets
to Padgitt's Park. Colonel Mills and Hon.
George Clark occupied a carriage ct the
head of the True Blue procession. In an
open CarriSge at the head of the prOhiDi-
ton column were Chairman Damon and
DR.. Carroll. This procession wGs headed
by the Itasca cornet band, fifteen pieces,
all splendidly uniformed. Over 1000 men
marched in this procession, probably
sixth of them COlored men. The
ants certainly had preponderance Of
the COlOred voters IN their procession,
Like the anti procession the pros were
Cheered heartily as they marched along,
the ladies il particular being demon
stratiye.
AT THE PARK.
4 steady stream Of travel to Padgitt's
park had set in as early as $3.50 q. M,
and by 10 o'clock 8 cautious estimate
showed 5000 people on the grounds. By
II O'Clock this had sWelled TO 6O00 and
e. noon fully 1000 people were there.
There are higher estimates Of the num-
Der, but we think this is g safe figure.
to say 8 large number Iof the
visitors who came to the city, and not
ably the colored people, did not go to
hear the speaking at all.
THE LADIES
were out in great force and the number
Of them wearing white badges showed
where their sympathies and aspirations
gre. Occasionally, however, lady was
seen with blue badge and the reporter
noticed one little girl who said she want
ed Gan anti badge, for Pm an anti" A
gallant True Blue voter supplied her, and
also offered to furnish her all the candy
and lemonade she wanted. But True
Blues among the fair sex were few and
fsr between. As to the men, white and
blue badges were about equally divided,
and hundreds wore no badges at all.
DIR. CARROLL
opened the debate in 9 speech that OcCu-
pied exactly one hour and half. 1t is
safe to say that not more than one in
every five of the people on the grounds
heard him. This was not because they
did not want to hear him, but because
they could not. The speakers stand
was placed outside the big pavilion, with
but meager seating accommodation for
listeners.
The space around the speakers WeA
literally packed with men, like sardiHsN
in box. These heard, but the thousanas
who were LEV rods away could not ana
did not hesr. The same difficulty wes
when Colonel Mills spoke.
Thousands of people, many of them
ladies, who were anxious 20 hear both
speeches, were greatly disappointed The
trees are thick on the grounds and .the
very leaves seemed to absorbsend Ansh
the sound ,of the speakers voices.
were no steuogrsphic Seporfers, a.
though the prohibitionists tried hard TO
make arrangements for such report.
The True Blues dictated the terms of the
debate and stenogIsphers were barred
out. Before DR.. Carroll opened the
space about the stand had been captured
by an eager crowd, which held every
available inch of the space
with a tenacity not to be with
stood, making it almost as uncOmforta-
Die there as out in the main crowd.
Every hit made by DR., Carroll vas
cheered to the echo by the. Prohibitions IS
and taken in good part by the ants.
Colonel Mills sTese to reply at nearly(1
o'clock and was greeted with loud sP.
plause. He seemed in good spirit for ssle